My baby maker is on the mend.

Surgery went well on Monday. I had 2 growths removed from the inside of my uterus. I am no stranger to surgery. The bright lights, cords, IV, and monitors can be quite intimidating. I have had surgeries where I have been awake with a spinal or completely out. I always feel a bit vulnerable after anesthesia.  This surgery was especially disturbing because I know during my unconscious hour, my lady parts were very exposed. Also, I woke up with a quarter sized burn on my left butt cheek. Its never comforting to wake up and wonder what happened to my butt. LOL! Did the doctor drop the laser or something. Awkward. Anyway, Doc said it went well. He seemed positive. The results will be back in less than 2 weeks. I am a bit sore. Emotionally, I feel a bit grumpy and sad. I guess I am relieved it's over but anxious for the results. There is a chance the surgery has affected my fertility. I honestly doubt it. I'm fertile mertile. At this point I am with out birth control and was told it is possible my IUD caused the growths. Is it time for a permanent birth control??? A snip snip? A tie? Most would say it is. I am terrified of taking the power of my baby maker away. For now, Ill stay present. One day at a time. When I get my results back, I'll decide my next move.

Keeping Bees towards sustainability

I recently purchased a new innovation in Bee Keeping. It is a hive that requires less disturbance to the bees and makes retrieving honey easier. I have been interested in bee keeping for a few years now. My tattoo artist and I got in a long conversation about his own bee keeping. It was inspiring. If the purpose of our homestead is to be more sustainable, it makes sense to produce our own sweetener. As I am allergic to bees, I wasn't sure how to approach keeping bees. The new bee hive system is set to arrive in December, all the way from Australia. It set us back almost $700, including the shipping. In between now and then I plan to join a beekeeping group to learn all I can. The hope is that by next summer we will be producing our own honey.  Also by next summer I would like to be producing our own goats milk and making cheese. Our chicken coop and garden are in the works now. Over the next year we will build up our flock substantially. If all of these plans play out, we will be swimming in eggs, honey, veggies, fruits, and goats milk by next summer. Sounds sustainable, right?  I have a vision of a self pay stand set up at the end of our drive-way filled with our bounty. Our neighbors could stop by, grab, pay. and go. It could contribute to our homestead bringing in an income.  A few other thoughts we have considered for an income is raising meat rabbits or pigs. We will breed our mini pig and guardian dogs. The pigs go for $500 and the puppies $400. My husband is currently taking a small engine/farm equipment class at the college. This is a skill we will need, be able to trade locally, and even possibly bring in an income. I feel pretty darn satisfied with our current progress. I am really looking forward to our intended growth and grateful to be sharing it with all of you!

Spring Break, Health, Foster parenting, Food Snob, and Homesteading

I feel like I should apologize for not writing in a while. I've been busy....moody...uninspired. Time to get back on the horse. We had visitors for our spring break. Our friends, the only other family of 7 I know, came from San Diego for 4 days. It was a lot of cooking and cleaning. A lot of noise. A lot of fun!

The surgery to remove my Uterine "growths" is scheduled in about 2 weeks. I have been feeling ok. There have been a few uncomfortable days. They are probably not cancer, at least that is what I have been telling myself. Hopefully, when they are gone, with them goes the pain.

My husband and I have begun our foster parenting classes. It is twice a week. We are both really enjoying them. Things here are so much more real, less bureaucratic. It is a really nice group of people, both teachers and participants.  Last nights class was about sexual abuse. They said 85% of children in foster care have been abused. It was eye opening, heart breaking, and inspiring at the same time. I want a chance to show love to children that have never felt it before. It is so beyond disgusting what some people are capable of, especially to the most innocent.

Speaking of the innocent, I feel like animals are taken advantage of and treated poorly by the human race. I don't eat meat and I avoid almost all animal products. It's not exactly that I think eating meat is wrong. It is the way meat and dairy is produced in this country. It's quite the opposite of happy animals frolicking in pastures as some may picture. It's filthy, extremely crowded, infected, and evil. I personally can't take part in it. I never wanted to label myself "vegan". I just want to enjoy healthy, organic, non-gmo, cruelty free sustenance. It appears I have become a bit of a food-snob. Even better, so have my children. We went to the auction again. My daughter leaned over and said. "It is so sad watching all these people poisoning themselves." She was referring to the mass consumption of soda, huge plates of gmo corn chips covered in synthetic cheese, hot dogs, and cotton candy. It's especially sad seeing kids eat that way.

On the home front, we have been making some great progress. We scored some amazingly cheap fencing, T posts, and chicken wire off craigslist. The garden has been plotted. My husband and I built a rabbit hutch out of reclaimed wood. We got a little male lion head bunny at the auction. His poop will be a nice addiction to our compost. Missy pig has moved outside. She went into heat and forgot how to use the litter box, so out she went. There is a lot more to do in the next couple months. Our guardian puppies need to come home so the property fence has to go up. The fruits and veggies need to go in the ground in about a month. It's a busy but beautiful time on the homestead!